Information about the prevalence and types of long-term health conditions in Australia is important for healthcare planning, including assessing the effect of health prevention initiatives, as well as future planning and funding.

In the Australian Health Survey, respondents were classified as having a long-term health condition if they had:

ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had a particular health condition; and

the condition was current at the time of the survey; and

the condition had lasted at least six months or more, or the respondent expected it to last for six months or more.